little piece of heaven (tony stark's daughter)

8

tony's p.o.v

soon after that the doctor arrived, took tests and checked rosalie over. he couldn't explain why she seemed absolutely fine, but all the tests came back clear and rosa seems completely normal. she's her usual bubbly excitable self, if not for the fact that she's a little more cautious than usual.

only hours after she woke up from a three month long coma, pepper, rhodey and i are watching her dance ballet around the studio she collapsed in. pepper had the room cleaned and new mirrors put up, knowing that rosie would want to visit her favourite room when she woke up. i'm not happy that she's dancing right now, but it was all she wanted to do and i couldn't say no to her big blue eyes.

she pirouettes across the length of the room, her posture perfect and a wide smile. she looks like nothing happened at all. the only signs that she's experienced anything remotely negative over the past few days are the cuts on her back, legs, and face.

"she's the 8th wonder of the world that kid" rhodey remarks from my left. we're sat in a line, pepper to my right, our backs against the wall "it's just like.. she went on standby whilst you were away, and as soon as you come home she turns back on again" he shakes his head with an amused expression. "it's like she planned it, she's one hell of a clever kid".

i frown at my daughter as she dances, i just can't figure her out "just before she flat lined and promptly woke up, she was talking and it was like she was having a full on two way conversation with someone. she kept saying she was talking to her mom and that i was home so she had to come back".

pepper looks deep in thought for a moment "what if she was with her mom".

my heart aches for a moment, gaia's face front and centre in my mind "her mom is dead, that doesn't make sense".

"none of this makes sense tony! three hours ago she was in a coma and we didn't know if she was going to make it. it doesn't make any sense at all, but here we are" pepper snaps before looking over at rosalie who's completely oblivious to our bickering, still lost in the music. "all i'm saying is, don't rule anything out as a possibility. she knew you were going to get into trouble in afghanistan".

of course she's right, but i won't tell her that. i'm keeping to myself until i understand exactly what went on with rosalie.

rosie's p.o.v

i sleep in with my dad that night, i don't want to be away from him and i think it makes him feel better to. i wake up before him the next morning, but i can't go anywhere because he has his arms wrapped around me mama bear style. i'm pressed right up against his chest, and i can feel the cool metal of the mini arc reactor on my cheek. i just lie there, staring at the blue light until he wakes up.

"good morning cub" he mumbles, ruffling my already messy hair "sleep well?". i nod my head and cuddle into him again.

"i've had lots of practice" my hand meets the arc reactor which i continue to stare at.

"yeah" daddy mumbles, watching me watch his metal heart "come on then we've wasted three months it's time to get moving" he heaves himself up to a sitting position, pulling me onto his hip as he stands up "and you need a hair wash before we go out in front of press tonight".

"tonight?" i grumble into his shoulder "why do i have to come?". i hate the press, they ask stupid questions and shoot bright flashes in my face and make up lies about me and my daddy.

"because" he bounces me on his hip a little "until they see you themselves, they're going to assume that you're dead".

"let them" i rest my head against him "i hate press".

daddy chuckles as he walks through my room and into my wardrobe, grabbing a towel and some clothes in his spare hand "i know baby, but we've got to do it sometimes".

"why though?" i whine, adjusting my grip on his t-shirt and sticking my bottom lip out.

"we were born into it i guess, you and me are cursed" he jokes as he carries me towards nearest bathroom.

i shake my head "not cursed, daddy, blessed. that's what mama said, she told me to stop cursing the burning because it's a gift".

"burning?" he sounds mildly concerned as he turns the taps on the huge bath, retrieving some bubbles from the shelf and pouring them in.

i frown "yeah.. i don't think you'd get it".

he pauses what he's doing for a moment, giving me his full attention and scanning me with his eyes "try me".

"well.. it's like a kind of uneasiness, i can feel things before they happen" i tug at a strand of my hair as i try to work out how to explain it. it's so complicated, it's not a human feeling, it's the part goddess in me. mama had to help me come to terms with it and get used to the intense sting of imminent danger, just like when daddy emerged from the cave in that chunk of metal.

daddy looks deep in thought, before turning back to the bath and swirling his free hand in it for a moment "give me an example".

i have to think for a moment, allow the burning to settle in my stomach for a moment so i can feel the future. i close my eyes to fully concentrate on the image in my head. "well, i know that obie is angry, and can't be trusted, he's gonna come for me one night and you won't be able to do anything" i open my eyes to see my dad looking a little traumatised "i don't know why though, i can't see that far yet. give me time and i'll work it out".

"obie wouldn't do anything to hurt us rose, he's been a good friend for long before you were even born. don't be silly".

that was the end of that conversation, daddy helped me wash my hair and then i got changed into a yellow skirt and a white t-shirt. i put black ankle boots on my feet and pepper plaited my hair into a side braid. over the top of my t-shirt i put on a denim jacket.

i spent the majority of the day playing piano whilst my daddy did work across the room, catching up with what he missed since he went away.

and then it was time to go.